Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has revealed how BBC presenter Mark Chapman helped him through live World Cup coverage following his father's sudden death.
Richards, 38, was in Atlanta preparing to broadcast England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina when his brother called to inform him that their father, Lincoln Richards, had died unexpectedly at the age of 66.
Despite receiving the heartbreaking news moments before going on air, Richards went ahead with his studio punditry duties alongside former teammates Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney, aided by lead presenter Chapman.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Richards explained that he spent an hour on the phone with Chapman before the semi-final as he struggled with how to compose himself for the live show.
Chapman encouraged him to go ahead with the broadcast, telling Richards that his father would have wanted him to do it because it represented everything he had worked for since moving into punditry.
Richards chose not to tell Hart or Rooney about his father's death before going on air, explaining that he had known Hart since he was 17 years old and did not want to affect his colleagues' emotions during the show.
To support him, Chapman offered a safeguard, telling Richards to let him know if he had a wobble in the first ten minutes so the rest of the panel could take over the presentation.
Richards credited Chapman with getting him through the broadcast, stating he would not have made it without him. He noted that while he is usually loud on camera, viewers could see him tapping his foot as he tried to hold himself together.
Support during a national broadcast
The former Manchester City defender revealed that he heard the news moments before going on air for the BBC's coverage of England's World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina.
News of Richards' heartbreak only emerged after the broadcast, which was watched by 24 million people, when he shared an emotional post on social media.
In his social media post, Richards wrote that his father Lincoln had passed away unexpectedly and described him as his greatest fan who had barely missed a game in his entire life.
He recalled how his father drove him everywhere he needed to go as a child and was the proudest parent possible throughout his professional career.
Richards added that his father, whom he described as a proud old-school Yorkshireman, would have wanted the show to go on because of how much watching England World Cup games bonds families together across generations.
He concluded the post by remembering his father as his hero and inspiration while sending thoughts to his siblings and wider family.
A father's lifelong influence
Micah Richards' father Lincoln has died, the pundit said in an emotional social media post.
Richards, whose middle name is Lincoln, has regularly praised the influence of his father, who moved to the United Kingdom from St Kitts in the 1960s.
Reflecting in 2007 on growing up in Chapeltown, a rough area of Leeds, Richards explained that there was temptation surrounding drugs and fighting when he was 15 or 16, but his father kept him grounded.
Richards described his father as a strong, principled character and a Rastafarian who set high standards for him. His father missed only one match in Richards' playing career, which was his senior debut at Arsenal when he was not originally expected to be in the squad.
In 2023, Richards described his father as his rock and his hero, while noting that their relationship had changed after his dad and mother, Heather, separated.
Coping with life after football
In his interview with The Sunday Times, Richards described how his retirement from professional football had affected his father, who had found a purpose following his son's playing career and attending his games.
Richards explained that after his playing career ended, his father took a turn for the worse without the routine of attending matches.
Richards enjoyed a successful playing career as a defender, winning the Premier League title and FA Cup with Manchester City before moving into sports broadcasting. The BBC is the national public broadcaster of the United Kingdom, where Richards works as a regular football analyst alongside fellow former international players.
